New Oakton College art exhibit depicts social, political situations
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The painting "Alton Sterling" by Hubert Neal Jr. references the killing of a Black man by two police officers in 2006 in Louisiana. It's part of the new exhibit, "Untenable" that opened this week at Oakton Community College's Koehnline Museum of Art in Des Plaines. Courtesy of Oakton College
Oakton College is hosting an exhibition of paintings depicting police brutality against Black people and other social issues.
Dubbed "Untenable," the exhibition features the work of painter Hubert Neal Jr. It opened this week at Oakton's Koehnline Museum of Art, 1600 E. Golf Road, Des Plaines, and runs through March 24.
In addition to police brutality, pieces in the exhibition address women's rights, immigration, the debate about wearing masks during the COVID-19 pandemic and political unrest.
"Artists have power -- the power to reveal, the power to influence and the power to inspire," Neal said in a news release. "I use my art to address social issues and the human condition."
A former Chicagoan who now lives in Los Angeles, Neal creates pieces in an almost cartoonish style. They feature flat figures, bold colors and blank backgrounds.
The museum is open Mondays through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free.
For more information about the Koehnline Museum of Art and its exhibits, visit oakton.edu.
